As Usual
by FlowerPrincessoftheUniverse
Summary: All appears well with LoveMe Number One, till circumstances require a late-night visit to her senpai's house. Her nocturnal wandering attracts the attention of her sworn enemy, who sees fit to follow her. A normal evening turns incredibly confusing, and nothing is 'as usual'. Misunderstandings occur, and Sho witnesses scenes from his worst nightmare….. Ren X Kyoko!
1. 1: Prologue

As** Usual**

**Summary:** All appears well with our favorite LoveMe girl, till circumstances require Kyoko to visit Ren's house late one night. Unknown to her, she is followed by none other than her arch-enemy Sho. Her normal evening has turned into a very difficult and confusing scenario, and nothing is 'as usual'. Hilarious misunderstandings occur, and Sho witnesses scenes from his worst nightmare….. Ren X Kyoko always!

**Timeframe:** Set sometime during the Heel Siblings arc. My mind has the useful ability to block unpleasant memories, so right now I'm pretending the Valentine's Day debacle and Dark Moon Party fiasco never happened. Seriously, when Ren suffered an accident, I was _sure_ it would result in confiding his past to Kyoko or confessing how important she was to him. Coward! He's taking too long to say the three simple words…

**Mission: **Torture Sho! Send a horde of angry grudge demons after him!

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Prologue<strong>

Kyoko paced about, wringing her hands in frustration, feet making small ridges on the wooden floor. At times, she would halt her pilgrimage across the room to hold her head in despair, mumbling incoherent words, finally sliding to the floor in a puddle of goo. Her behavior was beginning to trouble the Darumaya couple, who were quite frankly frightened by her fearful aura, but she would reassure them with a sparkly fake smile before resuming her pacing with increased vigor.

Kyoko smacked her forehead in self-reproach. Really, how she could be so clumsy! She had made a silly, stupid mistake; and now she was paying for it dearly. A small issue had been blown ridiculously out-of-proportion; and a misplaced item was now responsible for not just late-night sneaking and loss of sleep (not to mention peace of mind), but also for a host of unwanted feelings.

With a small pathetic moan, she turned her head to stare at her futon. Or more specifically, the bright shiny card key resting beside her bag, its smooth surface reflecting the yellow glow from the overhead light. The source of all her problems, the cursed object responsible for her current miserable predicament. The key to Tsuruga Ren's apartment.

...

**Flashback:**

"I'm so sorry, Goddess-sama!" Kyoko wailed, bowing low into a dogeza, oblivious to the fact that they were having a telephonic conversation, meaning that Jelly couldn't see her. "Please forgive me for troubling you with my silly problems, Goddess-sama, I'm such an idiot, so foolish, I deserve to be chopped up into its pieces and fed to the dogs! I understand if you are angry-"

"Calm down, Kyoko-chan! Just take deep breaths and relax…are you alright?" Jelly frowned, concerned. She wondered what had happened to make the high-school girl so panicked. She found Kyoko's mannerisms quite adorable, and so was upset that to find her in so aghast. In a soothing voice, she continued "Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

"It was so stupid of me, but I've forgotten my LoveMe stamp book in Setsu's suitcase! ….the thing is, I need it for work tomorrow… Can I meet up with you sometime and pick it up?"

"Oh, is that all?" Jelly sighed, relieved that the problem was not as life-threatening as she feared. "No problem, Kyoko-chan. It's really not a big deal; you don't need to apologize so much…" Jelly mumbled awkwardly, still unused to dealing with the over-active girl. "But as much as I'd like to, I'm afraid I can't help you with your problem. You see, the suitcases are with Ren-chan."

"Eh?"

"If you recall, I offered to let you take Setsu's suitcase home, but you said it would be better if I kept it with me; and there was no space in the make-up trailer so I asked Ren-chan to take your suitcase with him….so you have to go visit Ren-chan for your stamp book."

"Oh" Kyoko responded, shoulders slumped glumly. Remembering her manners, she recovered temporarily to say goodbye to the make-up artist. "Ah…thank you for your help, Goddess-sama, I will talk to Tsuruga-san now…" The phone clicked shut, and she sunk to the floor in depression.

THAT conversation was a BIG disaster. Ren was as usual, kind, polite and charming; almost as if they had not been cooped together in a hotel room, in situations that bordered on indecent. "You need you stamp book from Setsu's suitcase? No problem at all, I'd be happy to help you." His trademark smile indicated that he was completely at ease in her presence, despite all the things that had happened between them- Kyoko shook her head furiously. No, that was not them, that was the Heels. It was perfectly acceptable for the sibling-complex Cain and Setsu to touch each other intimately, even snuggle on the same bed. Kyoko glared momentarily at his calm face. He was clearly NOT bothered by all the petting and pampering he had done as her 'brother'.

Kyoko was startled to realize that she hadn't been paying attention to the conversation. Biting her lip to focus on Ren's words, she managed to grasp his last sentence. "I will be home only by 11:30 tonight, so I'd better give it to you at LME tomorrow."

Kyoko's face fell. "I'm afraid I won't be at LME tomorrow morning, Tsuruga-san. I have a shoot for Box-R, so I will be reaching the agency only by late afternoon."

Checking his little pocketbook, Yashiro-san interrupted, "By that time we will be long gone. At 10:00, we leave for the Rmandy shoot. After that, we don't come to LME all day tomorrow. So you'll just have to find some other time compatible with both your schedules."

Ren shrugged. "Then I'll just drop by tonight and leave it at your place-"

"No! How could I ask my senpai to run errands for me, so late in the night no less! You don't have to go out of your way for me senpai, I'll just come visit you-"

"Out of the question. I won't let a girl walk around all alone so late in the night, what if something happened to you? Really, Mogami-san, I am shocked you even suggested such a thing. Need I remind you that you are an actress whose popularity is fast rising; you could become a target of unwanted attention. Or worse still, what if the stalker musician comes after you?"

Ren knew he won the argument, the moment he mentioned the Vie Ghoul vocalist. Kyoko shivered as she recalled the incident with the denizen of hell. No, she should not walk alone in the middle of the night if such creatures were prowling about. But what other option did she have?

Seeing his chance to bring his favorite couple together, Yashiro cheerily interrupted. "I have the perfect solution for you Kyoko-chan! Here, take this! …Now where did I put it? Hmmm…"

Searching his pockets, he hummed softly as he pulled out various items, notebook, watch, even a little toy dog; before exclaiming in surprise "Ah! I got it!" and dumping a plastic object into her hands.

Examining it, she realized it was a card key, similar to the one used in Cain and Setsu's hotel. A sinking feeling in her gut as she guessed what it was, Kyoko nevertheless asked, "What is this, Yashiro-san?"

"Why, it's a key to Ren's apartment of course! He gave me a spare in case he needed something in a hurry, or in case he was sick….but you take care of Ren more often than me now, so _you_ should keep it. In fact, I was thinking to give you this a long time back!" Chuckling evilly, he continued, "You can go over to Ren's house after work today and collect your stamp book, that way none of us will be overly inconvenienced-"

"I CAN'T TAKE THIS!" Kyoko fairly screamed, and the two men were glad to be in a deserted corridor, away from curious stares. "Not only is this totally inappropriate, it is also a terrible intrusion on Tsuruga-san's privacy!"

Ren sighed. The situation was unfolding in the most unpredictable manner. An innocent stamp-book had been converted into a matchmaking plot, and Ren did not appreciate the unnecessary meddling and manipulation. He concurred with Kyoko's view; however, he still felt a stab of annoyance at her words. Ren had considered this attempt to further their relationship with alarm, and was almost as against it as Kyoko herself; but her words irritated him so much that he recklessly changed his mind. She spent hours in the hotel room with him as Setsu, making his life miserable by strutting around in the skimpiest of clothes and clinging to him in a flirtatious manner; yet she was uncomfortable with the simple idea of dropping by his place to pick up something? And _privacy?_ She walks into his bath unannounced, cool as a cucumber, and now she talks of privacy?

In a slightly irritated voice, he asked, "Really Mogami-san, I think it's quite silly of you to be concerned about my privacy. We have spent a lot of time together, to the point where I am perfectly comfortable having you in my personal space. We have spent quite a while in rather …close settings, have we not? Besides I'm sure you are familiar with my apartment. You have been there many times, and this is no different. I fail to see the problem."

Yashiro stifled a chuckle of delight and relief. Truth be told, the biggest obstacle in his plan was Ren. If his charge was against the idea, all the manager's plans would be for naught. He was stupidly stubborn that way, always keeping Kyoko at arm's length rather than showering her with affection. No wonder he made zero progress in his love-life. But if Ren was on the manager's side, then his plan was sure to succeed. After all, Ren could convince Kyoko of almost anything. Kyoko held her senpai's instructions in high regard, so if he insisted it was okay, then she would have no option but to agree. His smile widened as he watched the drama progress in the manner he desired.

"But Tsuruga-san!" she cried out in exasperation. Racking her brain in search of an appropriate excuse, she stammered, "But that's different! I have never been alone at you place, when you are not there! It would be so rude of me to simply drop by without you and walk in as if I owned the place!"

"Yashiro-san quite often does that; he doesn't see a problem with it, and neither do I. And you _have_ made unexpected late-night visits before."

"Yashiro-san is Yashiro-san! He has known you much longer that I, and is also your trusted manager-"

Are you suggesting I would be wrong to trust you, Mogami-san?" Ren enquired, skillfully manipulating her words till she was forced to take them back. '_Touche' _Yashiro congratulated in his head. Right now, he was quite pleased with his charge's stubbornly determined attitude.

"Come now, I wouldn't offer if I felt uncomfortable with you being alone in my apartment. I'm quite confident you won't do any harm; in fact, your visits ensure that the guest bedroom and kitchen are also used."

Kyoko had no option but to agree. Still, she made a feeble attempt at a final protest. "What if- What if someone found out? What would they THINK?"

Ren sighed, and then in a calm voice, said slowly and clearly, "They would think that we are close friends. Which I thought we are."

His tone made it clear that denial would indicate that they _weren't_ friends. Hastening to soothe her ruffled senpai, she assured him, "We _are_ friends, Tsuruga-san, but-"

"Good, then there should be no problem. Have a good day, Mogami-san." So saying, the tall actor walked away briskly, his fair-haired manager hurrying behind him, leaving a gloomy and downtrodden young girl in their wake.

**End of Flashback  
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...

Thinking objectively, Kyoko reluctantly admitted that Ren was not to blame for her unfortunate predicament (Though she was not sure it could be called '_unfortunate'_, many fans would kill to be in her shoes). It was Yashiro-san's fault for his outrageous suggestion. Really, what was he _thinking_? Honestly, if she didn't know better she would say that the manager had some hidden agenda…

Kyoko had no idea why the notion of entering her senpai's apartment on her own was so unsettling. She had visited his place several times, even stayed overnight while practicing Natsu. Besides, she had shared a room with him when they were acting Setsu and Cain Heel; in fact she had even shared a bed with him! Here her train of thought was disrupted, as she tried desperately not to think of that mortifying experience, blocking out the images from her mind in fear of losing her sanity. She tried not to remember the way he clung to her like she was his only lifeline, his firm but gentle touch, the softness in his eyes, the way he…too late, she was lost in mental replay of the many intimate things that happened on her 'Dangerous Mission'.

She did not want to think of the time they spent together, the different facets of his personality she had seen, her encounter with the 'other him', the man who lost control and attacked Murasame upon the words 'mixed bloodline'. The better she knew him, the more he occupied her thoughts and her heart. She was falling off the cliff of reason and sanity, plunging into the unwanted emotion of love. The locks of her heart were weakening; they could not last much longer….

And now THIS. A small plastic card key had completely destroyed her piece of mind. It wasn't like he had invited her for a romantic rendezvous or anything; it was simply a matter of convenience. He gave her a key to his place simply so that she could collect her lost item. Nothing more, nothing less. But still….having a key to his house somehow seemed to indicate that she could drop in whenever she pleased, like she belonged there, almost as if it was _their_ apartment-

Wait, WHAT? What was she thinking! How did her mind go down the gutter like that? Of course she wasn't imagining living with her senpai, the very idea was outrageous! Indeed, they were only living together during the Tragic Marker filming so that she could look out for him, it's not like they were in a relationship-

Had she gone CRAZY? That was the only possible explanation for her exhausted brain to even consider a relationship with her 'brother'. She had sworn off love, so she didn't need any romantic affection from anyone, least of all the tall, handsome actor. She sighed. This was absolute madness. Her mind was going round in circles thinking up the most shameless and indecent things! What would Tsuruga-san say if he knew that his innocent, helpful act of giving her a key to his house had sent her thoughts wandering in the direction of marriage- _No! I did not think of that! Stupid brain, stupid hyperactive imagination, stupid senpai, stupid Yashiro-san, STUPID, STUPID KEY!_

Writhing in agony, she collapsed to the floor for the hundredth time this evening, wallowing in self-pity at her terrible situation. She was in two minds whether to go to his place or not; torn between the need to get back her book, and the unsettling feeling that plagued her whenever she pictured herself sneaking around Ren's house. She had wasted most of the evening in futile indecision, spending the past two hours pondering her dilemma to the point where she couldn't even think straight.

Really, she was blowing the issue out of proportion. It was a simple task; enter his house, find her stamp-book (Ren had informed her that the suitcases were in the guest room, beside the wardrobe), and get out. And while she was there, maybe she should prepare dinner for him... because he would probably go hungry if she didn't force him to eat. That means she would have to buy groceries, since his fridge was always empty….

Mind made up, Kyoko glanced at her bedside clock. 10.00. Perfect timing, not too late, so it was safe to go out. She threw on some new clothes and grabbed her faithful handbag, gingerly picking up the blasted key that was the source of all her trouble and holding it at the very end, as if it would suddenly come alive and bite her. Placing it carefully inside her bag, she stepped out into the street, stopping at the supermarket to buy groceries to address the famous actor's lack of nutrition. She then made her way to Ren's apartment, laden with plastic bags, oblivious to her surroundings. She was feeling quite better about the whole thing, as the food gave her a sense of normalcy. _It's simply another evening at senpai's place; everything is as usual and there's nothing to worry about. No big deal Kyoko, you can do this!_

As usual? She had no idea how WRONG she was.

Unknown to her, she was spotted outside the high-rise building by a certain blonde singer, who unfortunately chose that precise time to torment his favorite prey. Sho's curiosity was peaked when he saw her casually stroll into the posh building, completely as ease in the luxurious corridor, evidently familiar with the building layout. Decisively, he slipped away when his manager's attention was elsewhere, stalking behind the chestnut haired girl till she climbed into the elevator. Examining the numbers above the door, he could see that she got off at the 12th floor. Hurrying up, he spied her as she stopped in front of one door, dropping the bags in her hands to pull out a key from her handbag.

She hummed a small tune as she made her way towards her doom, unaware of the shadowy figure following her.

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><p><strong>Just finished my last story, and immediately into the next one, starting with a 3k+ chapter, much longer than my average of 2.5k words. Phew, I'm one hard-working and determined kid! *patting myself on the back*. My phone is full of bit and pieces of new stories and random sentences are swimming around in my brain….<strong>

**This chapter was ready two days ago, but I waited because I wanted to reach 100 reviews in 'Whimper'. Sadly, it never happened, so here's my next story. I'm stuck on 90 reviews for my previous story 'Whimper', please drop a line, lovely readers, it makes my day! Oh, and I beg you to read my other stories as well! I have written two stories for Skip Beat (actually I have written only two stories total) - 'Dark Moon Party' and 'Whimper'. **

**A little note: The word 'pilgrimage' in the first paragraph might seem a bit weird, I mean Kyoko is pacing about the same place with fervor.**

**Note that this is a RenxKyoko fanfic, Sho is present only to be punished. He seems to be winning in the last few manga chapters, so this is **_**my**_** way of putting him in his rightful place! (which is on the floor licking Kyoko's boots, by the way). Sincere apologies to the Sho fans.**


	2. 2: Late-night visits, Uninvited Guests

Chapter** 2: Late-night visits and Uninvited Guests**

**To read the summary, timeframe and mission of this story, please refer to Chapter 1. To clarify, this story takes place after chapter 186, but minus the events of Vain day (Valentine's day). Nothing moreto say in this author's note, so onwards!**

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><p>Ren stood under the shower, allowing the hot water to ease away the tension and stress of his hectic day. All the while, he mulled over his earlier conversation with Kyoko, keeping a sharp ear out for the ring of the doorbell or jingling of the lock that heralded his beloved's arrival.<p>

For the millionth time, he cursed Yashiro for landing his in this unbelievably awkward situation. His stupid manager had juggled his schedule around so that he could actually go home earlier than planned. Yashiro's grin was impossibly wide as he shooed Ren off to 'enjoy quality time with Kyoko'. Sometimes he was tempted to fire (or preferably kill) the meddling man, but Yashiro was irreplaceable when it came to his managing skills, he managed to maintain _some_ order in Ren's impossibly busy schedule. Without Yashiro, Ren knew he wouldn't have enough time in his schedule for sleep (food never mattered to him, he rarely ate even when he had time, unless of course it was Kyoko's cooking).

As soon as he arrived, he had first checked the suitcase in the third room. It was untouched, meaning that Kyoko had not come yet. He wondered whether the seventeen-year-old was too uncomfortable with the scenario and opted out of getting her stamp-book. He didn't blame her. He himself was getting jitters at the whole prospect.

Ren didn't know why he was so nervous. Technically, he hadn't invited her, nor had he given her a key to his apartment with dishonorable intentions, so he really hadn't overstepped his boundaries. It was his meddling manager who gave her _his_ key, and besides it was all _Yashiro's_ idea in the first place. So Kyoko had no reason to think badly of him, did she?

He simply had a bad feeling about the whole thing. Curse Yashiro for getting too involved in his family fantasies, and his obsession with getting Ren and Kyoko married. Not that Ren didn't fantasize such things himself…

Ever since her 2.00 AM grocery shopping on the night (or rather morning) of his nightmares, Ren was getting increasingly paranoid about letting Kyoko wander around alone at ungodly hours. He knew he was being overprotective, but he couldn't help it. He simply didn't know what he would do without her. She was his precious protective charm, after all.

-X- 

Kyoko fumbled with the key (or the cursed ticket to Hell, as she preferred to call it), placing down the grocery bags to free her hands. With a tiny click, the door swung open. Heaving a small sigh of relief, she carried the bags in, the rustling of the plastic bags masking the soft footfalls of her pursuer.

A muscled hand slammed out to stop her as she tried to close the door. Eyes widening in shock as she recognized the intruder, her grip on the doorknob slackened, allowing Sho to push it open and lean against the doorframe with the sarcastic smirk she hated more than anything. "It's pointless trying to struggle, you know. I'm much stronger than you anyway."

Of all the people to interrupt her on her dangerous recovery mission in her senpai's apartment! Fate was really determined to make her suffer. Kyoko sighed in despair, feeling the beginnings of a headache. Could her day get any worse? Sho only smirked wider at her obvious annoyance.

Kyoko sent him a death glare strong enough to make him flinch, but he held his ground, eyes roving over the room behind her to avoid her evil gaze. Recovering slightly, he managed an annoying chuckle. "Nice place. Acting not paying you enough so you're forced to work as a maid, huh?"

"For your information, I am getting along perfectly fine with my wages from my roles. I am simply here to pick up something I left behind. Either way, it is none of your business, so I would appreciate if you showed yourself out." She stood right in front of him, blocking his path, not allowing him to step inside.

Sho frowned in confusion, ignoring the clear dismissal. "Something you left behind? What is it? Why is it here? If you're not here to clean, why do you have a key to this place? It's certainly too high-end for you to be living here."

The more he examined his surroundings, the more it confused him. The décor was tasteful but sober, with brown as the predominant color. It was much larger and fancier than the apartment he had shared with Kyoko. His eyes scanned the room, but could not find a single personal item to provide a clue about the owner of the house. What could Kyoko possibly be doing in a place like this?

"I said it's none of your business! Get lost!" Kyoko's voice grew louder with each word.

"It is my business! It's really foolish to be wandering around at this time of the night, you idiot. I'm here to make sure you don't do something stupid. What are you doing here? Whose house is this, anyway?" Sho responded hotly, raising his voice unconsciously.

"Shhh…stop shouting, what if people hear you!"

"If you want me to stop, you should simply let me in and answer my questions."

Reluctantly admitting defeat, Kyoko shrugged and picked up the grocery bags she had dropped, depositing them safely on the kitchen counter before facing the nuisance once more. "Alright, what do you want? Be quick, I want you gone in five minutes."

Sho calmed down and collected his thoughts. Now that he was inside, he could chat with Kyoko as long as he liked, it was simple to make her angry and ensure that he was always on her mind. But first, his curiosity had to be sated. "What are you doing here? Whose house is this?"

Kyoko opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of a male voice calling "Mogami-san, is that you?" The voice seemed to be from the main bedroom, and judging from the muffled voice, the occupant was most likely in the shower.

Kyoko gasped. Ren was home! The unexpected meeting with Sho had distracted her so much she hadn't noticed Ren's shoes in the foyer. She grimaced. It was likely he had already heard her argument with Sho, and right now he was probably wondering what the pest was doing in _his_ apartment. **Why** was Ren home so early? The whole reason for her terrible situation was that he would be home late. If he was going to be back by the time she arrived, then why did she need a key in the first place?

Oh dear, he is going to be _furious_ when he saw who Kyoko had accidently brought in. Her mind filled with increasingly negative thoughts and she began to hyper-ventilate. Her panic further escalated when the voice repeated, "Kyoko?" in a louder tone. His worry and concern were apparent, and Kyoko rushed to the bathroom to notify him of the rat infestation, ready to accept whatever punishment he deemed fit.

Meanwhile, Sho simply could not believe it. There was a man in the apartment! A man with a suspiciously familiar voice….one that made Sho want to throw up. Though he could not identify the speaker, Sho instinctively knew he hated the man.

The situation was getting stranger and stranger, though when he thought about it, he supposed it made sense. There was no way Kyoko could afford a swanky place like this, so the voice must be the owner of the house. But that would mean that Kyoko was having a late-night rendezvous with a man…a secret romance? Also, she had a key to his apartment…were they living together? …NO WAY! Kyoko was _HIS_! How dare she fool around with someone else! Sho had always believed he was foremost in Kyoko's heart, though her love had been replaced by hate. Unbelievable. How could this unknown guy get into Kyoko's heart so quickly? Determined to give the man a piece of his mind, Sho strode purposefully behind the distraught girl.

With only the thought of apologizing to her senpai in mind, Kyoko ran into the bathroom, nearly ripping the shower curtain as she pulled it aside. "Tsurugaaa-saaan! I'm so sorry! I didn't realize I was being followed, and the idiot kept pestering me in such a loud voice I was sure it would disturb the neighbors, so I had no choice but to let him in….."

Ren was about to enquire who this 'idiot' was, despite having a suspicion which he desperately hoped was wrong, when the bathroom door slammed open once more, to admit a furious blonde singer. His jaw dropped when he took in the scene in front of him. His **(A/N: you wish)** sweet, innocent Kyoko was standing by the side of the bathtub, curtain pulled aside in her haste, giving her a clear view an undoubtedly naked Tsuruga Ren. His eyes narrowed at the sight of his arch-rival, who simply ignored him, instead sending an inquiring gaze towards the girl gaping wide-eyed like a fish.

Kyoko was momentarily speechless with fright. The blonde nuisance had _ruined_ her apology with his rude interruption. Turning towards her senpai once more, she pleaded with him to understand her dilemma. "I didn't invite him, I promise! He was yelling in the corridor, so I was _forced_ to let him in."

"If he was yelling then you had no choice…but what was he doing in the corridor in the first place?" Ren's eyes narrowed as he put two and two together. "Don't tell me, he's been following you?"

"Of course not!" Sho burst out indignantly. "I just saw her in the lobby and wondered what she was doing here! Why are _you_ here anyway?" Ren was tempted to roll his eyes. The boy was stupider than he thought…or maybe he was in denial. After all, the situation was unfathomable to those who had never dealt with the clingy Heel Siblings. The modest Kyoko walking into a man's bath…Ren could understand Sho's surprise.

Kyoko shook her fist at Sho in anger. Her senpai was clearly displeased, and Sho was only making things worse with his insolence. Addressing Ren so rudely after entering his house uninvited, really the nerve of this stupid singer! She turned to Sho and yelled, "You jerk! How could you casually follow me into the bathroom like that?"

"I should be asking you the same question! How could you simply walk in when you knew _**that guy**_ was in the bath?"

Sensing Ren frown next to her, she frantically turned back to him, believing his anger to be directed at her rather than Sho. "Ack! I'm sooo sorry, I just barged in as usual without thinking and he simply followed-"

"AS USUAL? What the hell do you mean by 'as usual'?" Sho blurted out in shock, the panic clear in his voice.

Both actors stood petrified, turning to face the furious singing sensation. _Oh crap, how to explain something like that?_ Kyoko fumbled around for an excuse, but to her dismay found none. Looking down at the floor, she mumbled "I never meant for it to become a habit…" Gasping in sudden realization, she swiveled around to the still naked man, pointing an accusing finger at him. "In fact, it is entirely your fault! I've spent too much time around you, so your lack of modesty is rubbing off on me! You never stopped me from intruding on your bath, that's why I became so comfortable doing such things."

Rubbing off? Sho was flabbergasted. Did she mean that in the literal sense or was it just a figurative expression? He desperately hoped it was the latter. If it was literal….. Oh, god! Kyoko with Tsuruga….

Ren chuckled. "Really, there is no reason to be embarrassed. You've seen me several times already, so it really doesn't matter." Leaning towards her, he continued in a carrying whisper, _"You're welcome to join my bath anytime…."_

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><p><strong><strong>

**This was supposed to be a two-shot, but just like 'Whimper' (my previous fanfic) this has also grown much longer than anticipated! Please tell me if you like it!**

**Sho seems a bit stupid in this chapter, always asking the obvious. That's cause he's in shock and denial. And of course, coz he IS stupid.**

**I used a lot of 'him' and 'his', while writing out introspective thoughts in third person. Please tell me if you can't make out whether they refer to Ren or Sho. It didn't matter in my other stories because there was only Ren and Kyoko, (*giggle*) I'm learning something new every story!**

**I'm sorry Rycans-chan, things didn't go like you wanted them to…. I liked your idea though. There's a million ways this dangerous three-way situation can go; I hope I'm tantalizing your grey cells! I was dancing with glee when I wrote the bathroom scene….maybe I dragged it out a bit, but I enjoyed it. It's not nearly over though. More of the bathroom scene in the next chapter! (I'm not done yet! Next bit is even funnier, trust me)**

**Lots of introspection in this chapter, I seem to be fond of elaborating people's thought processes. The same is true of my other fics as well. It was difficult to decide where to stop; but the chapter was getting too long. I'm going on a holiday! So exciting! I won't be able to update for a week at least, but I'm already working on the next chapter so I can publish as soon as I get back.**

**Am I fulfilling my mission? (Mission: Torture Sho – see chapter 1). Please read and review!**


	3. 3: Sharing baths and Washing Clothes

Chapter** 3: Sharing baths and Washing clothes**

**To read the summary, time frame and mission of this story, please refer to Chapter 1. To clarify, this story takes place after chapter 186, but minus the events of Vain day (Valentine's day).**

**I went on holiday, which is why there was a delay in publishing this. I had a fun trip! Thanks for your patience and wonderful feedback. I welcome your ideas and thoughts, and try to respond to all my reviews.**

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><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

Ren chuckled. "Really, there is no reason to be embarrassed. You've seen me several times already, so it doesn't matter." Leaning towards Kyoko, he continued in a carrying whisper, _"You're welcome to join my bath anytime…."_

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><p>Sho spluttered violently, the words 'several times' echoing loudly in his over-worked brain. Tsuruga and Kyoko, having a shower together? How was this <em>possible<em>? No no, the creep just invited her; it doesn't mean they actually had a bath together before. But Kyoko did say she entered the bathroom 'as usual'…and what was that about him _rubbing_ _off_ on her? He groaned. The unexpected blatant flirting had opened his eyes to the possibility that the two were very, very close; physically as well as romantically. If they had baths together…could they have done something more? ..._No, no no no. I am just over-thinking things…Maybe it's all just a bad dream, just a figment of my imagination, yeah that's right, just a dream…ok, that's it, I've had enough, WAKE UP NOW!_

Sadly for Sho, the entire thing was very much real. He watched in dismay as Kyoko turned beet-red, muttering "Stupid playboy". She fumbled, trying to conceal her embarrassment by turning around and picking up his wet clothes, as a distraction from his suggestive words. _What a time for Cain nii-san to show up! _She sighed. She just wanted to go home as soon as possible. Ren turned off the water and stepped out of the shower casually, totally unbothered by the presence of two others in the bathroom.

Sho simply stared, taken aback by the older man's audacity. Walking around in the nude with no hesitation, maybe his reserved and gentlemanly attitude was just a big sham for the cameras? Even worse, Kyoko seemed totally unbothered by his outrageous display….meaning that she was used to it! How could this happen? How could this nuisance of an actor suddenly get so close to the modest Kyoko? He remembered all the fuss Kyoko created when he walked around shirtless back when they were together. But this platform-wearing pretty boy was wearing _nothing_, and Kyoko didn't bat an eyelid!

The bastard wasn't touching her inappropriately, was he? No, impossible, Kyoko would never allow it! But this guy was the most desired man in Japan, was it possible for Kyoko to remain immune to his charms, particularly if she spent a lot of time in his company? As much as Sho hated Ren, from what he could see, he had to admit the actor was good-looking and well-built…._not_ _that he was jealous!_ Sho hit himself on the head violently in an attempt to realign his thoughts. He was the number one singing sensation in the country, he was going to topple the actor and claim his throne! How could he feel inferior to the jerk Tsuruga?

Glancing towards the singer as he picked up his towel, Ren noticed his stunned silence. Taking advantage of the singer's wide-eyed stare, Ren decided to humiliate him a little. With a wicked smirk, Ren asked, "See something you like? …..I'm surprised, I didn't know you were interested in men."

Kyoko couldn't help snort as Sho's dumbstruck expression. She doubted whether anyone had hinted such a thing before. Sho was a ladies' man, and he liked to flaunt the fact. He relished attention, and he was pleased to be desired by his fans, who were mostly (if not all) female. To be accused of attraction towards the same gender, especially towards his much-hated enemy, was an insult too big for him to process. Sho turned beet-red, whether from anger or embarrassment, Kyoko couldn't tell. He opened his mouth to retort, but no words came out. After what seemed like hours, he finally found his voice. "**Like Hell!** I wasn't looking at _you_! I was just- I simply- Argh! Don't change the topic! What are you doing here?"

Ren was tempted to roll his eyes at Sho's stupidity. "I live here, of course. Maybe you should have thought of that before barging into _my_ apartment." He hid a smirk when Sho's mouth snapped shut, surprise and distrust crossing his face. Judging by his shocked expression, the fool hadn't realized just _whose_ house he had demanded entrance to.

Sho's brain was sluggish; things were going too fast for him to process the implications. Turning towards his childhood friend, he asked dumbly "Why do you have a key to his apartment?"

"Umm….well… I forgot something and came to pick it up" Kyoko responded evasively, still embarrassed, but also a bit confused, wondering how to explain the unusual scenario. However, the sudden return to the objective of the mission made her recall an important question. "Tsuruga-san, why are you home already? I thought you won't be back till late…" Kyoko mused aloud as she absent-mindedly began washing Ren's used clothes.

Ren mentally debated his options while drying himself. He could admit that Yashiro suggested he should spend time with her, but he would be in a tight spot if she simply asked 'why?' Also, the little bathroom scene and its romantic implications had horrified the blonde singer, much to the actor's satisfaction; and Ren didn't want to reassure the brat by clarifying the misunderstanding. He opted to be vague and unclear, spinning up a little white lie that wouldn't be too far from the truth.

"Yashiro simply had a feeling I would be needed here. And as usual, he's right, judging by the presence of the intruder." Here, he threw Sho a rather dirty look, reminding the singer that he had over-stayed his visit. Focusing back on Kyoko, he threw in a bit of the magic kingdom to sidetrack her. "Sometimes, I wonder if Yashiro actually has sixth sense, or something like that; his suspicions are always dead-on. I've learned to trust his instincts and follow his instructions, even when I don't really understand the reason." Ren hoped his feeble excuse was sufficient to fool the naïve actress, and to his relief Kyoko nodded thoughtfully. Sho looked a bit skeptical, but didn't say anything.

Seeing the distrust clearly spelled out on Sho's face, Ren hastened to shoo the pest away. "Fuwa-kun, will you please leave? You are not welcome here. Also, it is indecent to stare at a person's body in such a manner."

Sho was annoyed with Ren's bluntness, and stood his ground in defiance. _I am Fuwa Sho! Nobody can boss me around!_ He was also irritated with Kyoko's vague response to his question and the skillful change of topic (though he knew it was probably unintentional). He still couldn't comprehend that Kyoko seemed completely at home in Tsuruga's bathroom, or that they were chatting casually like this was an everyday occurrence. The words _'as usual'_ floated across his brain once more, as they moved around in what appeared to be a well-established routine. To be honest, they looked like an old married couple simply drawing comfort from each other's company…

_**WAIT, WHAT?! **_Sho was dumbfounded. Did he actually just think that Kyoko and Tsuruga looked like a married couple? What on earth was wrong with him? Kyoko belonged to Sho, and would always be his, regardless of him breaking her heart. There was no way she and _**that guy**_ could be a couple. _Maybe the air in this pea-brain actors' apartment is polluted; that's the only way my mind could have come up with something so stupid. Kyoko and Tsuruga? Impossible! _

Sho took deep breaths to regain some sense of calm. He ignored the actor covering himself with a bathrobe and let his eyes rest on the female, who was now washing …Ren's underclothes. He blinked once, twice, to confirm that his eyes were not deceiving him. Then he shouted, _**"What are you doing?"**_

Kyoko jumped. She had been imagining Yashiro-san as a kind of seer or prophet, or the wise old owl of the fairytales, gazing into crystal balls and making predictions….but then he should have a black raven by his side, not a little toy dog…. Shaking her head to clear unwanted images of Yashiro-san in a gypsy outfit -which she had to admit, did NOT suit him- she focused her attention on her surroundings and was surprised to find Sho was still there. She had completely forgotten about the pest! Not fully back from the magic kingdom, she only managed a small "Hmmm?", as she scrubbed Ren's clothes without consciously realizing it.

"Why are you washing his- those- his innerwear?"Sho choked out.

Ren frowned. He had been too preoccupied with his outlandish excuse and with throwing out Sho, so he had failed to pay attention to Kyoko's actions. He was happy she felt at home in his apartment, but he did not want her doing chores. It hurt him, because it made him feel he was treating her the same way Sho did. _Speak of the devil…_

"Washing _his_ stuff, don't you have any sense of decency? Stop that right now!"Sho yelled. Both Ren and Kyoko got the impression Sho was more upset that they were Ren's clothes, rather than the chore of washing. That made sense, since Sho had always treated Kyoko like a servant.

Ren gently pulled the wet clothes out of her hands. "He's right, there's no need for you to do my laundry. In fact, I prefer if you don't. I feel like I'm taking advantage of your kindness." He ended with a meaningful glare towards Sho, trying to convey that he was nothing like the younger man.

Kyoko simply waved it off. "It's all right, it became a sort of routine since the time we were at that hotel-"

Sho burst out in shock "HOTEL?"

* * *

><p><strong>The bathroom scene is nearly done, though the finishing touches shall be in the next chapter. In retrospect, maybe they were in there for too long, but I wanted to put all those bits in. I hoped you liked it! Scene I is done, but this is by no means the end of the story. More fun coming up! Setsu Heel makes an appearance soon... <strong>

**I'm trying to put in the catchphrase 'AS USUAL' in every chapter; it's harder than it sounds! Is the story getting OOC or impossible? Please tell me, I value your opinions deeply. **

**Belated Happy Chinese New Year for those who celebrate it!**

**I tried to make this as decent as possible, so as not to shift to M rating. There are many suggestive words, but nothing to be censored, except perhaps 'What the hell?' Do you think I can continue with T, or should I change it to M? A big 'thank you' to **_**'lady nefertiti'**_** for notifying me of this.**

**I'm really pleased with the humongous response to this story, thank you so much guys! I am thinking of two omakes: Yashiro the Soothsayer and Sho vs Ren dolls, but nothing is decided. I like the names, but I haven't got much content for them. Also, I would like to keep the rating at T; so I don't want to latter to go overboard into …ehm description comparison. Send me your thoughts please.**

**Mission progress satisfactory? (Mission: Torture Sho – I think you should know that by now). Please read and review! Phew, that was a long A/N! See you next time…**

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><p>I didn't realize that the whole story was in bold when I posted the new chapter yesterday. Sorry for the mistake. I'm still getting used to the Doc manager... I simply upload the file, but seeing the number of times I faced this bold problem, I'm thinking of using cut-and-paste for the next chapters. Also, I tried Shift + Enter for Single Line Breaks, but it doesn't work...<p>

To **Jacquelinezidro:** I'm happy you like this story, please read my other ones too. I also enjoy the interaction of the Heel Siblings, particularly Cain's puppy dog face, which makes an appearance in the next chapter *spoiler*. (hehe) I contemplated throwing Reino in, but I didn't think he would voluntarily enter the lion's den (literally, since Reino calls Ren a lion, if you recall). Lory's schemes are always entertaining to read, but sadly there is no scheme in this story. AS USUAL deals only with the events of this evening, and maybe an omake or two as the aftermath. No Saena in this story, for a Saena story, please read 'Your Kyoko Chan' by , its beyond awesome.

Also, it would be great if you open an account, so that I can PM my responses instead of typing them into the chapter.


	4. 4: Hotels and Hair-drying

**Chapter 4: Hotels and Hair-drying**

To read the summary, timeframe and mission of this story, please refer to Chapter 1. To clarify, this story takes place after chapter 186, but minus the events of Vain day (Valentine's day).

I just realized that I forgot to put a disclaimer in the previous chapters, so here goes: I do not own Skip Beat! It belongs solely to the awesome Yoshiki Nakamura sensei. Pretty obvious, but I said it anyway.

A little note: Sometimes I prefer to express what people are feeling through direct first person thoughts, which are in _Italics_. Other times I simply write out emotions as a third person introspective, in which case they are in normal font. Please tell me if you find this style messy or confusing. Bold plus italics are used for emphasis.

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><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

"Why are you washing his- those- **_that guy's_** innerwear?"Sho choked out.

Kyoko simply waved it off. "It's all right, it became a sort of routine since the time we were at that hotel-"

* * *

><p>"HOTEL?" Sho burst out, too shocked to be angry. They had gone on a romantic getaway to a hotel?! Would the list of their indiscretions never end? His brain was too exhausted to consider the ramifications of this humongous revelation, and it promptly shut down.<p>

Ren saw a golden opportunity to infuriate the singer even more, and he seized it with glee. Addressing Kyoko once more, he casually said, "I thought you gave the clothes for dry clean; I didn't realize you washed them yourself…if I did, I would have insisted we simply take advantage of the room's laundry service." Shaking his head and feigning regret, he continued, "Forgive me for this terrible oversight. I must admit, I didn't realize you were doing any chores other than cooking, else I would have stopped you… It's quite surprising that you actually had time for such things …seeing as we were **_quite busy_**."

The implications of the word 'busy' were not lost on Sho, who turned red once more as unwanted images flickered in his mind, mostly of Ren and Kyoko in…. G_ah! Don't think like that, you fool; you're behaving like a loser! What does it matter to me, Kyoko is a plain and boring girl, after all, it's ok if she's with him, I don't care…WHY AM I ACCEPTING AND JUSTIFYING THIS MADNESS?_

Kyoko knew she had said far too much, and in front of the worst possible person no less. Being in Ren's apartment gave her a sense of security and comfort, so she had blurted out things without thinking. Now she was ruining her senpai's reputation by saying random things that might possibly be interpreted in a different manner. Thankfully, she had not said anything to endanger either her Dangerous Mission or the filming of Tragic Marker. She decided to stay silent, not trusting herself to speak further. Unfortunately, this left Sho to assume whatever he wanted about the 'hotel'. Sho's imagination ran wild and his legs turned to jelly, a whirlwind of emotions ravaging his suddenly-fragile brain.

Taking matters into her own hands, Kyoko shoved Sho out of the bathroom, since Ren had taken to ignoring the singer, probably figuring out (accurately) that it infuriated the blonde more than simply being rude. The pest in question seemed strangely compliant as she pushed him out, motionless as a corpse, not resisting her rather forceful motions. Ren stifled a chuckle. The brat was probably too dazed to make a coherent protest.

Kyoko managed to move Sho's bulky mass out of the bathroom and into the adjoining bedroom. Taking pity on her, Ren hastily finished toweling himself and took her load of almost-dead body, a look of disgust crossing his face when he realized that the infuriating singer was only semi-conscious, resting his full weight on the hands pushing him, legs not functional (probably due to brain damage). Together, Ren and Kyoko shoved Sho out of the spacious bedroom. Kyoko heaved a sigh of relief, and was about to leave the room when a petulant whine stopped her.

She turned to Ren and immediately regretted it, as he immobilized her with a babyish pleading look. "Aren't you going to dry my hair?" Kyoko could sense the beginning of Cain onii-san's 100x puppy dog pout, so she quickly protected herself from the resolve-melting cute look by adopting her waitress persona. Smiling politely, she firmly refused. "I'd love to, but then who will make dinner? Now stop acting like a child and dry yourself."

Sho chose to come back to reality at the wrong moment, but the shock was enough to jolt him wide awake. _Love to? __**Love to?**__ Since when do Kyoko enjoy getting touchy-feely with people of the opposite gender? And is drying his hair a regular habit? _Sho's brain was reeling and he momentarily lost track of the conversation, but he could faintly make out that the two were discussing dinner.

"The fridge is empty. There's nothing at home. I'm sorry." The actor was sheepish, probably a bit frightened of Kyoko's fearsome aura. The girl sighed, muttering something about terrible eating habits and lack of nutrition. With a resigned expression, she walked into the kitchen and began unpacking her plastic bags. "I knew this would happen, so I bought groceries just in case. Honestly Tsuruga-san, you need to care for your body more."

"Why should I, it's much nicer when you take care of me **_as usual_**…"

Sho's eyes widened as he wondered exactly how far Kyoko 'took care' of the taller man. He was assaulted by graphic mental images, on the bed, in the bath… _damn!_ Sho shook his head, forcibly reminding himself not to let his mind stray in that direction. He was brought back to reality when Kyoko let out a large and rather fake sigh.

Kyoko shook her head in mock-exasperation, unconsciously pulling out Setsu in response to the Cain-like statement. "What would you do without me?" Her tone made it quite clear that she did not mind taking care of him in the least. Ren understood the gesture, as Setsu would never willingly leave her brother's side and loved watching over him, no matter how much she pretended otherwise. However, Sho was quite befuddled and horrified by this display of affection.

"Hey!" Sho yelled, unused to being ignored. Usually, his presence was enough to distract Kyoko; he could fill her mind with hate to the point where she forgot everything else. But now she was so preoccupied with her house-wifey chores that she didn't spare him a second glance! Even worse, the housewife behavior was with Tsuruga Ren. Sho frowned; he could not help notice how comfortable Kyoko was in Tsuruga's kitchen, humming to herself as she pulled out pots and pans, obviously familiar with the layout and location of items in the kitchen.

Turning a deaf ear to Sho's outburst, Kyoko continued, "I'm going to prepare a light dinner. You just sit down at the table as usual." She began to shoo Ren out of the kitchen a bit forcefully, no doubt recollecting his maui omu-rice.

"Shouldn't you first find the book you forgot? Why don't you go get it, while I show Fuwa-kun out?" Ren suggested. He didn't want his dinner with Kyoko to be interrupted by this nuisance who had crashed into the apartment, trying to ruin their precious time together.

Kyoko nodded and willingly shuffled off to the guest bedroom where the suitcases were kept, leaving the two men together.

Meanwhile, Sho was sorting out his inner turmoil. No matter how much Sho tried to disillusion himself, he could do nothing in face of such solid proof; there was absolutely no room for doubt. Kyoko was involved in an illicit affair with Tsuruga Ren. There was no other explanation. They had been messing around in a hotel, and had done many intimate things. Kyoko cooked for him and dried his hair and washed his clothes. She spent a lot of time in Ren's apartment, hell she probably even _lived_ there, if the key was any indication. She was no longer the pure and innocent girl he knew.

Sho was angry, but he couldn't deny the truth any longer. But even if he accepted that Kyoko was no longer his, he just couldn't tolerate her with this platform-wearing jerk. _Anybody but him, perhaps excluding the beagle. That rip-off was the only one worse than Tsuruga. _To lose Kyoko to his arch-enemy was a huge blow to his pride and ego. Grimacing, Sho tried to ignore to sudden inexplicable tightening of his chest. Angry at his own helplessness, he threw a dirty look at the man in front of him.

"Messing with Kyoko and softening her with sweet nothings; how long do you think it will last? Frankly, you should be ashamed of yourself, taking advantage of an innocent girl like her..."

Ren glared at the snobbish singer, allowing his anger to take over as he dropped his gentlemanly smile. Sho flinched and backed away from the Demon lord, knees shaking in a burst of pure terror. He came to a sudden realization. The man in front of him may wear a polite and friendly mask all the time, but that did not mean he was a weak pretty-boy. The look of rage in his eyes made it clear. This giant was a beast; a monster who could easily snap Sho's neck in two if he felt so inclined.

Ashamed at his cowering, Sho stood still, closing his eyes to regain his cool and unconcerned attitude. But his meditation was interrupted by a low growl. "I would **_never_** hurt her, and I won't let you harm her either." The glint in Ren's eyes said he was dead serious. "Don't forget, Fuwa. I'll protect her and take care of her; something you never bothered to do. So you'd better leave her alone, or you'll have to deal with me. And trust me; that's not something to look forward to."

Sho trembled at the threat, whether from fear or anger, he couldn't tell. The only thing he knew what that he hated the stupid actor from the core of his being. Try as he might, he could not brush off the regret he felt for the way he treated his childhood friend, or ignore the nagging voice in his head that persistently hinted that Ren was a better man than he'd ever be.

Stony faced, Ren held the door open for the singer, a blunt signal that said 'You're not wanted here'. Sho sighed, hesitant to leave Kyoko alone with the older man. Luckily for him (or so he thought), their stare-down was interrupted by a delighted gasp from the guest bedroom. Using that as his excuse, Sho forcefully pushed aside Ren and made his way to the source of the noise.

Kyoko was doing a little victory dance as she clutched a bright pink book to her chest, completely unaware that Sho had barged in, with Ren close on his tail. Finally, she had accomplished what she set out to do, despite all the complications that sprung up. Clothes were scattered messily around the small suitcase, which was lying open on the bed.

Sho did not see Kyoko's entertaining and rather funny dance, nor did he notice the small book she held…his entire attention was focused on the outlandish and frankly scandalous outfits spread out on the bed. Dumbly, he picked up the closest item, which happened to be Setsu's favorite ero-kawa panty. He held it up clearly for all to see, desperate eyes forming the silent question.

Both actor and actress froze; neither knew what to do in face of this even larger dilemma; it seemed their problems were far from over. Kyoko closed her eyes, bracing herself for the outraged yell that was sure to come. Two full minutes passed in absolute silence, then:

**"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"**

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><p><strong>This story is nearly done; chapter 5 shall most likely be the last, unless I put in the omakes I talked about in the previous AN.**

**Your mission reports are very heart-warming (a reminder- the mission is to torture Sho); I never imagined I would get so many reviews and favorites. The response was even better than for 'Whimper'! Thanks everyone for following me and my stories.**

**Today is Ren's birthday, but I'm celebrating later it along with mine. So I thought I HAD to post this chapter today, hence it may seem a bit rushed; short and not as funny as the previous ones, came out rather serious, especially the face-off between Sho and Ren…please forgive me for not meeting expectations.**

**P.S. Jacquelinezidro- your response is in the previous chapter's A/N.**


	5. 5: Lingerie and Love-Albums

**Chapter 5: Lingerie and Love-Albums**

**...**

**The end is approaching….yay! Thanks everyone for the load of suggestions and wonderful ideas; you helped me a lot. This one is an extra-long chapter (4k words as compared to the usual 2.5k), with a huge A/N at the end; hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat! Pretty obvious, but I said it anyway….**

**Warning: Don't read this if you like Sho, coz he's getting snowballed in the face (figuratively, of course. It's spring, so no snow)**

**...**

**Flashback:**

Sho did not see Kyoko's little dance, nor did he notice the small book she held…his entire attention was focused on the outlandish and frankly scandalous ero-kawa panty on the bed. Dumbly, he picked it up, desperate eyes forming the silent question.

Kyoko closed her eyes, bracing herself for the outraged yell that was sure to come. Two full minutes passed in absolute silence, then:

"**WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"**

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

Sho could not believe his eyes as he held up the lacy, almost-transparent underwear. It was evident that the black silk could cover very little skin, and that was clearly the intention of the scandalous piece of clothing. Every item in the damned suitcase clearly spelled '_SEDUCTION'_. He couldn't imagine Kyoko in something so _….tantalizing. _Even Shoko did not wear stuff like this! No, these couldn't be Kyoko's; there had to be some other explanation. Perhaps they were meant for someone else? Perhaps they were just clothes of some fling of an actress who left them in Tsuruga's house. _Yeah, that makes sense. _Sho seized this somewhat-plausible explanation like a drowning man. _Tsuruga was messing around with some no-name woman, and she left her stuff here-_

"**Stop flashing my underwear like that!"** Kyoko recovered from her shock faster than the men, and quickly snatched the garment in question out of Sho's frozen hands. Her entire face was a bright shade of red that could easily outmatch even the ripest tomato. "Stop staring, you brainless pervert!" she screamed as she hastily attempted to stuff back the revealing outfits into the tiny suitcase. However, her efforts were counterproductive; as the suitcase toppled off the bed, splaying the incriminating garments all over the polished floor.

Ren's jaw dropped in shock as he took in the sexy lingerie on the ground, but he quickly schooled his expression, a useful ability he had picked up from his extensive acting experience. Truthfully, he had no idea that Kyoko wore such scandalous underwear under her Setsu clothes. The newfound information only made it harder to keep his hands off her. His already delicate self-control was dangerously close to snapping, as he imagined her in the skimpy figure-hugging fabric, displaying her soft and inviting skin...

...

_My underwear._ Kyoko's words had been crystal-clear, clarifying the matter beyond doubt and shattering any half-baked excuse Sho could have come up with. Really, it was foolish of him to entertain hopes that the clothes were not hers. He already had unshakeable proof of the romance between the two actors, so the revelation should not have surprised him. But still, it came as a shock; and to his surprise, it hurt. The Kyoko he had grown up with had turned into a completely different girl; and he realized with a sinking heart that he no longer had a place in her life, a fact that had been rudely thrust into his face numerous times on this tragic evening.

He wanted to simply collapse, and scream out his frustration, anger and hurt; but he couldn't. Breaking down now would only mean the pretty boy's victory. So, as usual, he hid his emotions behind a mask of cynicism and superiority, coaxing his voice into a sarcastic and supercilious drawl, "Hmmph. How low. The Kyoko I knew would never degrade herself by strutting in such shameless clothes, trying to attract men, sleeping around to further her career…"

The insulted actress blinked once, twice, eyes narrowed at her nemesis as she processed his insult. Ren's face hardened, and he moved forward to give Sho a piece of his mind, when Kyoko stopped him. Surprisingly, she was calm; almost eerily calm. Time seemed to freeze as she directed her icy gaze towards the boy to whom she had devoted most of her life. Sho shivered; the stillness in the air was suffocating. Sho felt like he was being roasted and frozen at the same time. Quietly, Kyoko walked up to him with purposeful strides, her eyes challenging him to repeat his words. Ren watched with bated breath; this Kyoko was a thousand times more terrifying than even her Mio. After another excruciating minute, Kyoko raised her hand, awarding Sho a tight slap that echoed loudly across the spacious room.

"Don't you ever, **EVER** suggest that I would use sneaky and nefarious means to climb up the ladder to a first-rate actress. My acting has given purpose and meaning to my life, helped me regain the pride and self-respect, the dignity I threw aside for you; and I would never disgrace myself and my acting by using underhanded means. Though initially it was for revenge, this career has brought me joy, success, and most of all _friends._" Here she paused, to give Ren a grateful look that warmed the actor's heart to its very core.

The look was primarily one of solidarity and friendship, but there was a little bit of love hidden beneath the gratitude that Kyoko showered on Ren, though neither realized it. Kyoko, because she was by nature oblivious; and Ren, because his brain had been short-circuited by her dazzling smile. However, Sho had seen the love and affection the look conveyed, and it made him sick to his gut.

Turning back to Sho, Kyoko continued in a more normal tone, awkwardness creeping into her voice now that her anger had dissipated, "Also, I don't wear such clothes all the time; its' only for the Tragic- errr... I mean…Tsuruga-san's….special…." _Crap! I can't talk about the Dangerous Mission, can I? _She racked her brain for a reasonable excuse, but to her dismay, found none, finishing with a soft mumble of "It's um… actually… only for Tsuruga-san's sake."

_Only for Tsuruga-san. Only for Tsuruga-san._ The words circled round and round Sho's frazzled brain, her obvious embarrassment only making things worse. Sho felt like yelling. _Really, have some decency! You can't say such things in front of other people!_Her awkwardness and sudden modestyonly made him feel worse. He couldn't think badly of her when she was the Kyoko he knew and grew up with, but _**those clothes**_…..

_Only for Tsuruga-san. Only for Tsuruga-san. _Ren could feel heat creeping to his cheeks at Kyoko's misleading words. He knew the real reason for her …unusual choice of attire, but the way she explained it was **plain wrong**. The lingerie was already causing havoc in his overworked brain, her smile had set his heart thumping mile-a-minute, and mulling over her twisted words was nearing making him dizzy with joy and aching with longing.

Briefly, Ren toyed with the idea that Kyoko was deliberately riling Sho up; but quickly dismissed it. Kyoko was a prim and proper girl, and would be outraged at such insinuations. She meant those words in an innocent manner; though it was clear Sho didn't take it that way. Good thing she was sometimes so dense she didn't understand what her words hinted.

Ren cleared his throat and placed a firm hand on Sho's shoulder, tugging the bewildered singer towards the exit. "Come, Fuwa-kun, let's get you to your manager..." Sho made no move to acknowledge his presence, and Ren almost felt sorry for the boy. The fact that Sho had not thrown a tantrum when Ren was not just touching him, but _**pulling**_ him along, was enough to indicate his troubled state of mind.

...

Kyoko was relieved by Sho's silence, but the Heel within her rebelled at her submissiveness. Setsu longed to give the punk-wannabe singer a piece of her mind. It would be so simple to ask her brother to teach him a lesson (preferably a painful one, since his voice grated on her ears like chalk screeching up a blackboard), and Cain would do it with no regrets; after all, he lived for his sister, he did anything Setsu wanted him to do. Speaking of her wonderful brother, he was lugging around that useless lump of fat, who wasn't even trying to move. Didn't he realize nii-sama could break his neck with a single hand if he wanted to?

And on top of that, he had the nerve to criticize her sense of dressing. Unbelievable. She was a very, very fashionable girl, she wouldn't wear just anything, and her brother ensured she had all the expensive brand-named designer clothes. Yet this brat not only insulted her dress-sense, but also her morals and self-esteem? Setsu narrowed her eyes; the boy was begging for some serious punishment, and she was only too happy to give it to him.

"There's no point being delicate with this jerk; you should just throw him out by the scruff of his neck." Setsu drawled out to her beloved brother, lazily piling back her new outfits into the suitcase. She frowned. She hated cleaning up messes; she only cleaned up her brother's stuff because she knew he would reward her later. She hid a slight chuckle. Contrary to his appearance, Cain was a doting elder brother, always pampering her with lavish gifts and indulging her every fancy.

Both men snapped their heads up at her sudden change in tone. Ren sweat-dropped. Setsu Heel had made her appearance. Truth be told, he had been dreading this. Setsu was a loose cannon, she could either clinch this scene or ruin it. If she behaved in her usual clingy and flirty manner, it might help convince Sho that they were a couple, and the singer would leave them alone (hopefully permanently). But if she said something distinctly un-Kyoko-like, like calling him 'nii-sama', or mentioning the Tragic Marker, the entire farce would collapse. Sho was a particularly stubborn nuisance; if he got the slightest hint of something fishy, he wouldn't stop till he reached the bottom of it. Good thing he wasn't very smart.

"I don't see what this idiot's problem is." Kyoko, or rather Setsu rolled her eyes before draping herself on a stoic Ren, purring "**You** liked it, didn't you?" She giggled. "That's all that matters."

Sho suppressed a shiver at her silky, honeyed tone, the sensual way she ran her finger over Ren's exposed neck, as if tracing patterns on the skin. The Kyoko in front of him was beyond sexy, there was no other word to describe her, and it rendered him speechless, not just with shock, but also admiration and desire. He had always considered Kyoko painfully ordinary; 'plain' and 'boring' were his own words on the fateful day they parted ways. But _**this Kyoko**_ was anything but ordinary. She was a tigress …_no too bright…_ she was like a panther, graceful and sinuous, at the same time dark and deadly, and she bewitched Sho. Surprisingly, he could easily picture _this Kyoko_ in those revealing clothes, slinking around and luring unfortunate men, easily the focus of attention at any gathering._ Who is this girl and what has she done to my Kyoko?_

Ren smirked, unable to hide his glee. Kyoko, in her own innocent way, with her (unintentionally) not-so-innocent words, had turned Sho into a stammering wreck. How would Sho survive, if the seductive Setsu was added to the mix? From his ashen face, Ren judged that Sho was _inches_ from an apoplectic fit.

Ren was woken from his musings by a soft hand raking through his hair, no doubt searching for specks of water, judging whether he had dried his hair properly. He looked towards the girl leaning on him (_leaning_ was an understatement; she was splayed all over him, resting her entire weight on his shoulder, one hand at his neck, coaxing his tense muscles, while the other hand daintily mussed up his dyed locks). Realizing she was waiting expectantly for him to concur with her, he opted for a non-committal, hopefully Cain-like response, though her movements were distracting him from fully bringing out his British actor persona. "You look good in anything you wear." He shrugged. Cain was a man of few words, so his response was probably adequate.

Setsu frowned. Her brother was not being very vocal. Normally, this would not have bothered her, as he seldom expressed himself through words, but she wanted him to show that annoying blonde that she existed only for her brother. She had been offended by his accusation of 'sleeping around', and she wanted to set things straight.

She giggled. "I look good in anything I wear?"

"Yes, anything. Even in the clothes you are wearing now."**(A/N: She was wearing Kyoko's regular outfits, meaning modest clothes)**

Setsu leaned even closer; a feat Ren couldn't believe was actually possible, giving the already close contact between their bodies. Her lips millimeters from his ear, she asked in a carrying whisper, "But I look better in _nothing_, don't I?"

For once, Kyoko actually analyzed her words and realized how it must have sounded. The rude shock at her own suggestiveness (even though it was technically Setsu, not her), followed by Sho's animal-like growl, managed to rip away the Setsu persona, leaving behind a horrified Kyoko.

Ren was stupefied, so he opted for silence. This was bold, even by Setsu standards. It appeared that the female Heel wanted to make a statement to the blonde pest. The truthful response was that he didn't know, as he had actually never seen her naked (even though _she_ had seen _him_ in the bath), but such an admission would be detrimental, as Sho would no doubt poke his nose into the matter. "You are the most beautiful girl in the whole world" he finally admitted. A careful response that neither confirmed nor denied the statement. A wise move, as her panicky eyes conveyed clearly that the Setsu spirit had surrendered, meaning Kyoko was back in control of her body.

Kyoko blinked as Ren's words sunk in. sure, he had complimented her before, but he had never been quite so blunt. She could see the honesty in his eyes, and she knew he meant every word. The fact that he thought her beautiful sent her heart racing and heat coursed through her body, painting her cheeks a rosy pink-

"_**What Are You DOING?!"**_

Actor and actress both jumped. They had totally forgotten about Sho in their little lovey-dovey, sibling complex, pseudo-acting pseudo-real moment.

Drawing the worst conclusions from their startled faces, he snorted. "Hmmph. Getting all mushy and romantic, dressing in skimpy underwear, sharing a bed with a man…so much for the modest and proper Kyoko who wouldn't even-"

"We only did it once! Stop drawing stupid conclusions!"

Ren was well aware that Kyoko's 'it' referred to the **literal** sharing of a bed, the night of his altercation with Murasame, when he relived his memories of Rick's death and Tina's accusation. Sho's aghast expression, however, made it clear that he took the 'it' in another sense. Hiding a grin at the younger man's speechlessness, Ren watched Kyoko as she glared menacingly at her childhood friend, blissfully unaware of his mental trauma. Once again Ren thanked the gods that Kyoko never caught on to the hidden double meanings of her words.

Sho's jaw dropped at the frank admission. She didn't even bother denying it! _Only once… _okay, not as bad as he had imagined….but that was probably the pretty boy's intention; he planned to get the cautious Kyoko all safe and comfortable, going slow so that she gradually accepts him…that sly bastard!…..But this also meant that Tsuruga was playing for keeps, and that he was serious about Kyoko…. Damn!

Sho did some fast thinking. Tsuruga's caution also meant that his position was unstable, to say the least. He wouldn't tiptoe around their relationship if he was confident that Kyoko loved him with all her heart…. A small glimmer of hope lit up within Sho. _Kyoko is not lost yet…_

_.._

Attempting to get on Kyoko better side, Sho politely (and awkwardly, because he wasn't used to being polite) enquired, "So…anyway, you um…got your book, right? That's why you came here…"

Kyoko's expression relaxed slightly, and she nodded once, still watching Sho cautiously in case he was creating some new trouble. He was being nice, and it was so puzzling and out of character, that it unnerved her. In fact, this well-mannered Sho bothered her more than all his insults and rude comments. She would almost prefer that he went back to his usual narcissistic self.

Meanwhile, Sho scrutinized the book in her hands; it was weird, to say the least. The color was much too bright, and it hurt Sho's eyes the longer he looked at it. Another curious fact was that it was heart-shaped with a strange logo on the cover.

"What sort of book is that anyway?"

Alarm bells went off in Kyoko's head. If Sho saw her LoveMe stamp-book, he would know the menial and janitorial tasks she had to do during her first months at LME. It would be just like him to gloat over her demeaning chores; he probably would roll on the floor, clutching his sides and nearly dying from laughter. Immediately, she made a decision never to let Sho see evidence of her stepping stones in that she was ashamed of them;she simply didn't want to boost Sho's ego by reminding him how much higher he was.

Kyoko huffed, scowling fiercely at the singer. "It's none of your business. Shouldn't you be leaving?"

Sho ignored the question, taken aback by the sudden animosity from scrunched up his eyes, trying to recall what the unusual book reminded him of. He had seen heart-shaped books like those often; but where…..

A bulb lit in his head when he remembered a rabid fan stuffing a similar book in his face after a concert. _An autograph book? Maybe that's why it's so important that she didn't lose it? Or maybe it was a picture-book, perhaps sort of album? _Pochi had several scrap-books, in which she collected pictures of Sho's concerts and achievements. She had also made a huge photo book with an elaborate cover featuring her and Sho, which she called a relationship album. It had tons of photos; of Sho in his studio, looking irritated as Pochi posed around beside him, Sho singing with Pochi in the background, the Prisoner PV, among others. Pochi called it their 'love diary'_…Wait, Kyoko's book couldn't be something like THAT, could it?_

"It's personal! I'm definitely not going to show my LoveMe book to _**you**_ of all people! Get lost!" Kyoko cried out, clutching the book to her chest.

"Love…Me? You mean, like…a love album?"

Kyoko hesitated. Truth be told, she had no idea what a love album was… but she bet it wasn't something good. In her experience, anything with the word 'love' only meant trouble, whether it was her love for Sho or her placement in the LoveMe section. However, she couldn't let the trouble-maker Sho see proof of her floor-mopping exploits, so she reluctantly agreed with him.

"Erm…somewhat…something like that, I suppose…" Her awkward response only infuriated the singer, making him forget his earlier resolution to be polite.

Sho tried to grab the book, but Ren stopped him; a dark glare ensuring that Sho stayed in his place and made no sudden movements. Many alternatives were running through the singer's head. She could be collecting pictures of Ren, posters from films and dramas….but then she wouldn't say that it was personal, would she? ….The word 'personal' would mean that Kyoko was also in those photos, …most likely in intimate positions. They had probably clicked photos during their outings together, or at the infamous hotel…..

Sho was absolutely _**livid**_. Going on dates, and doing cheesy romantic thingswith the pin-head actor, like making a relationship album,_what the hell was wrong with Kyoko?_He spat out fury, "Really, you're pathetic. You used to hate him; and now you're worshipping the ground he walks on….You've become a love-struck fool; it's disgusting to watch."

"I think that's quite enough." Ren stepped in before Kyoko could reply to the insult. The tall actor was exhausted, and he wanted Sho gone _**now**_. He put his arm around Sho's shoulders, much to the singer's disgust, forcing him towards the front door. He also put a light hand on Kyoko's waist, gently tugging her along with them. Sho tried to protest, but Ren was firm. The blonde had no option but to let the stronger man steer him out, trying to think up some smart parting insults.

"Well, thank you for spending time with us, Fuwa-kun…though we can't honestly say we enjoyed your company." Ren finally let go, and Sho was startled to find that they had already reached the door. "And Mogami-san, it's too late for you to go home, its better if you spend the night here."

Kyoko tried to respond, but was interrupted by Sho's angry protest. "Spend the night? You pervert, how brazen of you to suggest such a thing!"

"There's no need to panic, Fuwa-kun. It's not an uncommon occurrence. You are making a big deal out of nothing."Ren's voice was sickly-sweet, and Kyoko closed her eyes to avoid a full blast of his trademark gentlemanly smile. Ren could feel the beginnings of a headache, and so he took his anger out on the singer.

Sporting a fake smile, in a mocking tone, he said, "Ah, it's all right, Fuwa-kun, I understand." he gave Sho a knowing look, and the blonde felt a small shiver of apprehension. Ren leaned closer to him, and whispered loudly, "You're simply jealous because you want to spend the night as well, am I correct? …I'm surprised; I didn't realize your feelings for me ran that deep…."

Kyoko shuddered, trying to surreptitiously put some distance between herself and the Emperor of the Night. She knew that the suggestion was ridiculous, but she realized that it may be the only way to get some peace. Hopefully, Sho would take the bait, create a huge uproar and leave in a huff, finally leaving them to some well-deserved relaxation.

Before Sho could calm down enough to give a coherent response, Ren continued the same vivacious tone, deliberately doing away with honorifics to give a fake intimacy, sighing, "Oh Sho, there's no point trying to hide it… **As usual**, you feign anger to disguise your attraction, pretending to hate me so that no one realizes how much you admire me; …but it won't fool us. We _**know**_ your real feelings…" Ren had accurately figured out that laying the gay card infuriated Sho the most, so he used it as a weapon to remove the singer.

Sho was getting tired of the hateful phrase 'as usual'; it wasn't even appropriate in this scenario, dammit! And what was that rubbish about his real feelings? How dare they insinuate such a thing! Preposterous! Him, _Fuwa Sho_ himself, feeling attraction to a man, and _Tsuruga_ of all people?

Sho settled for a derisive snort. "I feel _**nothing**_ for you, except perhaps anger at how a talentless pretty boy like you could charm everyone-"

"Tsuruga-san is Japan's most talented actor! He can portray any type of role, he has worked in so many different genres of movies, his character-creation skills have no equal! He is nothing like you!" Rent tried to stop her, but Kyoko was on a full-blown rant. She was probably letting out all the steam accumulated during the taxing evening. Ren was quite touched that Kyoko's fury was on his behalf, and that an insult to him bothered her to such a degree, even though it originated purely out of respect for her senpai.

Ignoring the actor attempting to restrain her, Kyoko grabbed Sho by the scruff of his neck and shook him vigorously."Tsuruga-san is talented, dedicated and passionate about his work! Ordinary people would break their necks trying to cope with his schedule! Don't you dare insult someone whom you are not even fit to lick the boots of! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

Kyoko trembled in anger, and a dark cloud began to form around her. Her inner demons resurfaced, and she was soon surrounded in a maelstrom of grudge-demons, which she launched on the unfortunate singer. Sho found himself chased out of the building by an army of invisible beings which seemed intent on causing him bodily harm. Relieved, Ren slammed the door on the singer's face with more force than necessary, before finally collapsing unto the sofa with a sigh.

...

Kyoko slumped beside him with an equally tired sigh, too exhausted to go into a dogeza for her heinous mistake of allowing Sho entry, which caused the entire mess. She settled for a small apology instead. "I'm so sorry for everything, Tsuruga-san; for letting him in, and saying all those things, and for-"

"It's not your fault, Mogami-san. I don't want you apologizing anymore; in fact, I shall be most upset if you continue to blame yourself for that person's rudeness."

"Arigatou, Tsuruga-san. Also, there is no need for you to shelter me for the night-"

Kyoko tried to convince him that she would be perfectly alright getting home by herself, but Ren was adamant. A part of him was worried that Sho might still be lurking around, and he refused to expose her to the danger of cross-examination by an irate singer.

Giving up the argument after a few half-hearted protests, she conceded defeat. "Very well then, please excuse me for using your guestroom. To express my gratitude, allow me to make you some dinner, though it is quite late." Kyoko got up to sort out the long-forgotten groceries, but Ren stopped her.

To her surprise, Ren took the blindingly pink LoveMe stamp-book from her with a small smile, picking out a stamp and quickly scribbling a few words. Handing the book back, Ren watched with a pleased expression as her eyes widened in surprise, mouth forming the words:

"For eradicating a blonde cockroach - 100 points."

...

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Finally, Sho has been thrown out! He was in there too long, in my opinion. I'm sure many of you will be wondering 'Why didn't they throw him out sooner?' This chapter wasn't fun to write, unlike the last chapters….maybe coz the comedy kinda dried out. It was longer than I anticipated, hope it pleases you! Many reviews asked for a RenxKyoko kiss, but sadly I couldn't fit it into the scenario without making things OOC. Remember, the mission is to torture Sho, not bring the lovebirds together.**

**I know this chapter is long delayed and the ending kinda fizzled out, but I was running out of ideas, plus it's late in the night and I am sleepy. So excuse any grammar mistakes, story jumps, and other errors borne from droopy eyes and heavy yawning.**

**Reached 100 reviews. Thank you so much, wonderful readers!**

**Anyone feeling sorry for Sho? Sorry if I upset any Sho fans. He's actually not a bad guy, just a bit of a jerk with an inflated ego who likes to be a perpetual pain in the neck. This chapter was not so funny… oh well, time to move on to another story, though I **_**may**_** do an omake before marking this complete. I've decided to rewrite Dark Moon Party before publishing my other ideas; I want to neaten things up before I get caught up in studies. *Sigh* You can expect complete silence from me in the two months preceding the exams, and limited updates from now onwards. I don't want to start a new story and leave you all hanging.**

**When I wrote in chapter 1 that the mission was to 'send a horde of grudge demons' after Sho, I meant it figuratively rather than literally. But when **_**Matelia-legwll**_** reviewed asking whether Sho would insult Ren to cause the outbreak of grudge-Kyokos, I thought, hey, that's a really good idea! So thanks a lot to **_**Matelia-legwll**_** for that.**

**I tried reference to the story wherever possible, like the 'Setsu is a very very fashionable girl' part. I find that it helps keep things IC.**

**I was in a really chatty mood, and I ended up writing an ultra-long A/N, more than 1k words…. I contemplated deleting my ramblings, then realized my profile page doesn't have much stuff, so I threw it there. So please go to my profile page if you're interested to see what goes on in my eccentric mind.**

**So, drop me a line if you think MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Good night!**


	6. Omake: Yashiro the Sooth-Sayer

**OMAKE: YASHIRO THE SOOTH-SAYER**

…

…

"Yashiro-san, can you see the future?"

"Eh?"

Kyoko leaned closer, eyes wide with awe and wonder, and elaborated, "Tsuruga-san told me a little about your extra-sensory perception and sixth sense. I wondered exactly what your powers are, and if your skill extended to seeing the future."

Yashiro stared blankly at the curious but absolutely serious Kyoko, then shot a questioning look towards his sheepish charge, who was desperately trying to communicate with gestures, urging Yashiro to play along with her strange question.

Yashiro didn't mind humoring the sweet teenager, but he had a nagging feeling that encouraging her delusions would lead to a very awkward interrogation. Her sparkly eyes made it clear that she expected him to be capable of something extraordinary and magical. Yashiro wondered briefly what sort of 'extra-sensory perception' his charge had claimed him capable of, and how much further his over-imaginative love interest had taken it.

He frowned. _How did Ren get __**me**__ into such a mess?_

He opted for a vague response. "Well… I can't see the future _per se_, I just get vague impressions most of the time… sound, sight, smell; something that's there but not wholly there…"

Kyoko nodded in what appeared to be complete understanding. "I know what you mean. You see other-worldly beings, like fairies and grudge-demons, and you know they are among us, but other people can't see them…"

Ren and Yashiro met each other's eyes; both silently wondered whether Kyoko's sympathetic attitude stemmed from experiencing such other-worldly phenomenon herself, and if so, exactly what sort of _**beings**_ Kyoko saw that others couldn't. Ren already knew about her penchant for fairies, but 'grudge-demons' was a new one. Technically, their childhood meeting in Kyoto could also be labeled as an other-worldly encounter, since Kyoko was convinced that 'Corn' was the prince of the fairy kingdom. He sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, his precious girl was not normal.

Yashiro laughed awkwardly, his eyes silently begging Ren for some sort of support. "I've never seen any errr….other-worldly beings, I'm afraid. My skills are more of um…..intuition, you could say…."

Kyoko nodded. "I see. Do you have any special tools, or some sort of ritual?"

Yashiro could see crystal balls and tarot cards in the background, and he wondered what sort of crime he had committed in a past life to deserve this.

Ren winced internally at the endless assault of questions his manager was suffering from, each more outlandish than the last. "Does everyone in your family have such a power? Maybe it is something to do with your past life, or some magical ability passed down through the generations?"

Yashiro was still valiantly trying to respond to all her queries, all the while digging his own grave (with a magic wand). "Well, as far as I know, it's just me….and I don't know anything about my past life, so I can't tell you…."

Ren just hoped Kyoko would not ask Yashiro to make a prediction for her.

Finally, a pause in the interrogation. Yashiro breathed a small sigh of relief. Kyoko seemed lost in thought, her eyes misty and far away. "Sometimes I wonder what my future would be like…." she mused a little wistfully.

"I think it would be like your dreams" Ren blurted out without thinking. Seeing Kyoko's confused stare, Ren hastened to explain his enigmatic statement. "Ultimately, your choices decide the kind of life you lead. And I know that you are the type of person who will never give up till you achieve your goals. You shape your future with your own hands, Mogami-san… so I say your future will be what you want it to be."

Kyoko rewarding his thoughtful words with a shy, grateful smile. Her senpai was not lavish with praise, so she was pleased that he recognized her hard work and dedication to such an extent.

Seeing the two together, Yashiro had a sudden epiphany. This was his chance, his golden opportunity to completely reset the relationship of his favorite (not yet) couple.

Ren sweat-dropped at the sudden gleeful look the flashed across his manager's face; it was the same expression he always had when he came up with a plan to bring Ren and Kyoko together. Most times, the look was a harbinger for trouble, guaranteeing Ren a massive headache, and sometimes a heartache as well. _Whatever Yashiro's planning, it can't be good…._

For the first time, the fair-haired manager volunteered information about his so-called 'powers', choosing his words carefully to steer the conversation in the desired direction. "You know, Kyoko-chan…. I can't see the future clearly, but sometimes I get blurry mental images, like snapshots, of incidents occurring elsewhere…. or a voice in my head warns me against certain things…."

Kyoko immediately stopped day-dreaming and focused her full attention on the devious mastermind. "That sounds more creepy than magical, doesn't it?"

Yashiro nodded sagely. "It's not always a blessing, Kyoko-chan. Like any form of power, it has to be harnessed properly. Misuse of such skills can lead to very dangerous situations. That's why these things must be kept secret, you understand?"

With every word, Kyoko was falling deeper into his trap. She nodded with utmost seriousness and leaned towards him, swearing in a solemn whisper, "I promise, Yashiro-san, I will not reveal your secret to anyone, even under the threat of torture!"

Ren realized what Yashiro was doing. Cleverly, he ensured that Kyoko never repeated this conversation to anyone, and hence she would probably never know that they were actually lying through their teeth. However, as usual, she had taken it in a rather **extreme** manner.

"Err…there's no need to go _that _far, Kyoko-chan…."Yashiro sweat-dropped, clearly guilty about his manipulation. Recovering his poise, he continued, "Though I can't voluntarily turn time, I _have_ seen snippets of incidents before they actually occurred; like I had a vision of my graduation day when I was in middle school…"

Alright, now Yashiro was going too far. Ren briefly wondered why the manager was damning himself by spinning more lies, but was quickly distracted by Yashiro's next words:

"**In fact, Kyoko-chan…. I have seen something from **_**your**_** future as well…."**

_EH?_ Ren couldn't figure out what Yashiro was up to, but he knew for sure that something terrifying was in motion. Panic bubbled in his gut, and he was tempted to drag his manager away before he doomed _both _of them, but he was rooted to the spot. Wryly, Ren wondered when _he_ had started getting premonitions, and if he was growing a sixth sense.

Yashiro made a big show of looking left and right for eavesdroppers, then leaned closer and proclaimed in a dramatic whisper, "I have had visions of your future, Kyoko-chan… or rather, one vey important part of your future, …namely, your _wedding_."

A dumbfounded silence followed his statement, and Yashiro took advantage of the lull in conversation to describe in great detail his '_vision'_. "I am not exactly sure of the location, it's not a place I have been to before, I think…. The ceremony takes place in a sprawling garden, in which many tents are set up. Musicians-"

"Please wait, Yashiro-san." Kyoko interrupted, holding up a hand to stop Yashiro's ecstatic account. "I'm afraid I might have misheard you; but for a moment I thought you said you had a vision of _my wedding_." Kyoko was having second thoughts about starting this whole conversation with Yashiro, because now she was hearing things she didn't want to know. Ruthlessly pushing aside the image of Tsuruga Ren in a tuxedo that popped unbidden in her mind at the first mention of her nuptials, she treated the soft-spoken manager to her darkest and iciest glare.

Yashiro held his ground bravely at the sudden Mio-like aura emanating from the girl, and continued with rather strained enthusiasm, "Yes, Kyoko-chan, I am talking about your wedding. As I was saying, I saw musicians playing in the background, and the bride, that is, you, were walking down the aisle. You looked absolutely stunning in your gorgeous white gown. The LME President was acting as the minister…" Yashiro went on and on, his fear temporarily abated in his dreamy, delirious state of absolute bliss.

"Er….Yashiro, do you really think talking about this is a good idea? You yourself said that such things must be kept a secret…" Ren tried desperately to stem the giddying flow of Yashiro's nonsense, trying to knock some sense into his deranged manager. But he was also confused and a bit annoyed that the manager had not mentioned Ren's name yet.

"I know that Ren, but Kyoko-chan wont tell a soul, will you Kyoko-chan?" Kyoko shook her head automatically, mind still reeling in shock. Triumphantly, the manager continued his minute-by-minute recount, "Sitting in the front rows are Maria-chan and the couple that Kyoko-chan lives with…"

Contrary to Ren's belief, Yashiro was not sprouting this from the top of his head. In fact, careful planning was going into each and every sentence. The okami and taichou were invited to the Happy Grateful party, so it was pretty certain that Kyoko would want them at her wedding.

"Besides them are Kotonami-san and Uesegi Hiou kun…"

Kyoko took deep breaths to calm herself; temporarily setting aside the impossibility of her, the first member of LoveME, ever getting married; and focused instead on the part of Yashiro's narrative that she could actually wrap her head around.

"Moko-san and Hiou-kun….?"

Briefly Yashiro congratulated himself on being up-to-date with the career of Kyoko's best friend, which led him to be aware of the blossoming relationship between LoveMe number two and the famous child actor.

Yashiro nodded. "I don't know if they were together, but they were standing next to each other and chatting companionably, so I assumed they were in a relationship. I might be mistaken, of course; they may be nothing more than good friends." Yashiro swiftly issued an authoritative warning, "You are not to mention the matter to either party, Kyoko-chan. Is that clear? Truthfully, I hesitated to share it even with you, because knowing your own future doesn't always bring you happiness."

Ren snorted. _It's a bit too late for that, isn't it?_

"When Kyoko-chan reached the altar, she put her hand in Ren's; and you both say your vows, and the President declared you husband and wife. You both share a beautiful kiss and…"

Yashiro blabbered on, but neither of his audience heard a word.

_**WHAT IS HE DOING?!**_

Ren knew that his manager often fantasized about their wedding, but to recount his dreams as predictions, to state them as absolute fact….

Kyoko had noticed the conspicuous absence of the famous actor all through her wedding narrative, but had not commented on the fact due to the overdose of unbelievable information. Rather, the whole scenario was unbelievable, because it was impossible for her to get married. Her heart had been cruelly broken, and she swore never to love again, and so there was no way she would be tying a knot with anyone and subjecting her frail heart to more betrayal.

She had dismissed Ren's absence as an outcome of his busy schedule; maybe he had been invited but couldn't make it. For some reason, the thought made her sad. But now Yashiro-san had finally mentioned him, and as the groom no less! But why couldn't she utter a single word of protest, to deny the possibility of such an occurrence? _Perhaps because she secretly wanted it to be true…._

Kyoko couldn't deny that she cared deeply for her senpai. She had known ever since Dark Moon that she had feelings for him, but had chosen to continue life in denial, all the while forming a closer attachment with the man who was so out of her reach. But she couldn't lie to herself any longer. Suddenly, she wished for this entire conversation to be over; she just wanted to go home and cry her heart out, to give in to the despair over her unrequited love.

Apparently, Ren had also had enough. Placing a firm hand on his manager's shoulder, he politely but forcefully dragged him aside, shooing him away with a terrifying Demon Lord glare. Naturally, Kyoko realized gloomily. After all, a big-shot actor like him would be disgraced to have his name associated with the likes of her.

Now that the root of the problem had been addressed, Ren turned his attention towards Kyoko, who was staring blankly with her mouth wide open, at the spot Yashiro had just vacated. She seemed a bit upset, and was biting her lip while boring a hole into the wall with her eyes.

Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, he drew her attention with a soft "Mogami-san?". Abruptly, she turned to him, her eyes wide in terror. Ren hesitated, confused. Why was Kyoko so frightened? Had Yashiro's dramatic stunt really shaken her so much?

"Its okay, Mogami-san. The future is not fixed in stone. Yashiro may not be a hundred percent accurate…"

Kyoko nodded, using her acting skills to maintain a neutral face. Now he was telling her not to get her hopes up; that a relationship with him was just a far-fetched dream. Surprisingly, it helped cheer Kyoko up. The sooner he rejected her, the sooner she could seal her heart and move on…

Emboldened, she hastened to agree with him, putting some of her usual vim to declare assertively, "Really, _you_ marrying _me_, as if that would ever happen! You would be so insulted-"

"If I married you, I'd consider myself a very lucky man."

He was giving her that serious look, the same as when he had said that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. It was the look that managed to worm its way into her hidden box, bypassing the many locks, and setting her heart aflutter. And his eyes! She seemed to be drowning herself in those chocolaty pools. They captivated her, to the point she couldn't look away even if she wanted to. They urged her to look closer, to see the feelings hidden in their depths, almost as if he was baring his soul to her.

His words left no room for doubt; he really did think he would be lucky to be married to her. Why would he feel that way? He was the number one actor in Japan; he could have anyone he wanted. There was no shortage of beautiful and talented women who would be more than happy to spend the rest of their lives with him; why would he even spare a glance at a plain and boring girl like her?

Yet, hadn't he done just that? Hadn't he always kept an eye out for her, offered a helping hand whenever she was in trouble?

But that would mean he loved-

No no no, she shouldn't think like that! Love was a curse, she was better without it. She would spend her life fortifying her heart, focusing on her career, along and strong. She didn't need anyone else in her life; and she definitely wouldn't get married! All these useless thoughts were just Yashiro-san's prediction messing with her brain!

"_I'd consider myself a very lucky man."_

Wasn't love what she always wanted? She had dreamt of being someone's princess (specifically, Sho's princess, but now she knew he was actually the evil stepmother, not the prince); isn't that exactly what he was offering her? Besides, this was Tsuruga-san. She trusted him for advice, relied on him for recommendations and guidance, consulted him at turning points in her career, and indirectly her life; surely she could trust him with her heart?

A voice resounded from deep within her heart, _'Yes'_.

Kyoko had been motionless for a long time, and Ren began to worry that he had overstepped his boundaries; after all, he had gone alarmingly close to a confession. Kyoko was unpredictable at best and had a tendency to misunderstand things (and to explain things badly, as Sho had horrifically discovered); there was no way to tell what went on in her brain, how she would react to an admission of love.

Finally, she murmured, softly but determinedly, "Thank you, Tsuruga-san, that was a really sweet thing to say."

To his astonishment, Kyoko stood up on her toes, giving Ren a swift peck on his cheek before dashing off with a shy smile and a goodbye wave. It took Ren many moments to finally come to his senses and wave back, by which time the actress was long gone.

Ren set off to his dressing room, trying to school his expression and failing; a wide smile broke out on his face, the perfect example of a love-struck idiot. Ren released a soft sigh of happiness.

_Hmmm…. maybe Yashiro knew what he was doing after all._

…

…

…

**Many years later:**

Ren shook hands with his current director as he thanked him for attending their wedding. Beside him, Kyoko, his wife of a glorious five hours (_Wife_, oh God, he loved that word) stood beside him, gorgeous in a pale white silk kimono, her now-long hair cascading down her back, greeting visitors and well-wishers, demurely accepting their congratulations and smiling at their compliments.

After what seemed like hours, the party quieted down, as the guests began to leave. Escaping from the excitable LME President, Ren noticed that Kyoko standing by herself and biting her lip, a sign that she was pondering over some dilemma.

He went to her, and slipped a large hand around her waist, guiding her to an empty pavilion where the newly-weds could finally get some well-deserved privacy. "What's bothering you?" he enquired softly.

"Oh, nothing really…." she murmured, fingering her simple gold wedding ring. Gesturing to their surroundings, "It's all so unbelievable, so lovely, so _surreal_….."

"I know what you mean. I can't believe this is actually happening." Ren agreed, drinking in the sight of his lovely wife as she absently said, "Remember Yashiro-san's prediction? He was the one who first talked about a wedding, back when I thought it was impossible for you to like me…"

Ren fidgeted nervously. Even after all these years, he had still not told Kyoko that Yashiro's 'powers' were actually a figment of Ren's imagination, and she had brought the topic up at the worst possible time. It would be terrible for a husband to tell his wife a lie on their wedding day.

Kyoko chuckled, lost in her memories, completely unaware of her (finally) husband's anxiety. "It was his prediction which finally opened my eyes to the fact that you might like me….. I was so dense at that time, wasn't I?"

Ren kissed her cheek with a soft smile, not wanting to ruin the moment by telling her that she was still pretty dense.

It was Yashiro-san who finally pushed us into dating, and look where we are now, married!" Leaning into Ren's embrace, she giggled and continued dreamily, "The wedding was just as wonderful as he foretold. Do you remember? He said it would a beautiful and grand wedding, and many people would come…"

"Yeah, I remember…."

Kyoko frowned. "He described it as a western-style wedding, with a pearly-white gown and marriage vows and a 'you-may-kiss-the-bride'…"

Ren gulped. "Yeah, he said something like that, I think…."

"But sweetheart, we had a _traditional Japanese wedding_…"

"…"

…

_**The End**_

…

**This was intended to be a comedy, but it morphed into something quite serious, ending with a bit of fluffy humor. This is just a little snippet for those of you who wanted a kiss in the previous chapter. I honestly never intended to put in a marriage scene, it was a sudden random decision, just like he engagement scene in 'Whimper', but I think it came out okay.**

**I tried to hint at the ending; I mentioned discreetly that Kyoko was wearing a kimono… chocolates for those who guessed!**

**Anybody wondering how Ren would wriggle out of the above mess? Simple, he would bring out the Emperor of the Night! Despite dating Ren for a long time, Kyoko would not be immune to his charms. She would get flustered by the Emperor, who will no doubt make some suggestive comments about their wedding night, and the disaster will be successfully averted.**

**Honest opinion please! Is '**_**digging his own grave (with a magic wand)' **_**lame? I scribbled it on impulse, but now I don't know what to make of it… sometimes I think it's pretty corny …..**

_**Sho as the evil stepmother:**_** I thought it was pretty appropriate, as the stepmother forced Cinderella to cook, scrub the floors, and all the other chores; just like Sho used Kyoko as a servant. Again, opinions please! SumiAmaya-chan pointed out that Sho is more of an evil step-sister because he never considers how his actions affect Kyoko... I totally agree with Sumi-chan.**

**I attempted a kuroshitsuji drabble named 'Wisdom Tooth' (first chapter out, second in progress); please read it (if you read Kuro, of course). The exercise helped me realize how easy it is to write Skip Beat! fics as compared to others. Hooray for Ren and Kyoko! Also, things were busy, so I didn't have much time for writing. I also read a few Naruto fics (this isn't the main reason for the delay, I swear!). Anyway, reading other stories counts as 'research' and 'training' to improve my writing style, does it not? Do you see any improvements in my work? (hah, I wish)**

**After finishing 'Wisdom Tooth', the next item on my to-do list is 'Dark Moon Party'; it has been begging for a re-write for a very long time. I won't start any long stories after that, as I need to sign-off at least two months before exams (can't have my marks going down, mom's already scolding me), but I may do one-shots.**

**Thank you, wonderful readers for reviewing, adding in favorites and following this story and my other stories! Also thanks for being patient during the delay in publishing this omake…..**


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